A wireless access point (AP) is a networking hardware device that allows a Wi-Fi compliant client device to connect to a wired network. Wi-Fi is a technology for wireless local area networking with devices based on the IEEE 802.11 standards. The AP connects to a router (via a wired network) as a standalone device, but it can also be an integral component of the router itself. An AP is differentiated from a hotspot, which is the physical location where Wi-Fi access to a WLAN is available.
Prior to wireless networks, setting up a computer network in a business, home or school often required running many cables through walls and ceilings in order to deliver network access to all of the network-enabled devices in the building. With the creation of the wireless access point, network users are able to add devices that access the network with few or no cables. An AP normally connects directly to a wired Ethernet connection and the WAP then provides wireless connections using radio frequency links for other devices to utilize that wired connection.